Officials deliberately withheld Mandelson vetting result from me, Starmer says

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a political row after revealing officials in the Foreign Office repeatedly withheld that Lord Mandelson initially failed Developed Vetting for the US ambassadorship. Mandelson was announced in Dec 2024, vetting began late Dec and the vetting agency recommended denial on 28 Jan 2025; he formally took up the role on 10 Feb 2025 and was sacked seven months later. Starmer said the decision to withhold the recommendation was deliberate, prompting the effective dismissal of a senior FCO civil servant and changes to the vetting process (appointments now cannot be announced before clearance; the Foreign Office’s final clearance power was suspended). For markets, heightened political uncertainty and calls for the PM’s resignation could increase UK political risk, potentially weighing on UK-focused assets such as the UK 100 and sterling until clarity is restored.